


Sentimental Value

by Bluewolf458



Series: Carving [2]
Category: The Sentinel (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-03-07 22:52:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18882865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluewolf458/pseuds/Bluewolf458
Summary: Blair revisits his 'Uncle' Toby





	Sentimental Value

 

  * [Rich Text](https://archiveofourown.org/works/new#)

Sentimental Value

by Bluewolf

After the one time she had felt threatened - badly threatened - by a boyfriend and had made a run for it with nothing but the clothes she was wearing as soon as his back was turned, Naomi had always kept a small emergency 'grab it and run' bag; it held a change of clothes, some money, and the one or two things - mementoes, she admitted to herself in the privacy of her own mind - that, although they held no particular material value, held sentimental value. The thought of 'sentimental value' rather amused her - she prided herself on living in the present, of considering the past as something she had experienced and left behind without regret - and yet there were those few reminders of her past that she knew she didn't want to lose.

She had reared Blair to that same mindset. The past was the past, and trying to hold on to it simply stifled their prospects for the future.

For about a month before Blair was born, and for some months after his birth, Naomi had remained in one place, though she was getting increasingly restless as the days and weeks passed. Finally, however, Blair progressed from crawling to toddling. She encouraged this, and as soon as he was able to cover about fifty yards without help, she gave a sigh of relief and prepared to move on. She knew that she would have to hold his hand to help him to balance for a while, but she encouraged him to walk without her help as much as possible, and by the time he was two he was running around totally independently, and carrying his own bag.

Most of his things were still in her bag - even Naomi had to accept that Blair was still too young to carry much weight - but he did carry his 'grab it and run' bag - the one thing she had taught him he must always remember to pick up if she said, "Grab it!" It only held a change of clothes, a small stuffed dog someone at the commune where he was born had given him just before they left, and a very little money - the two things she felt he needed to remember he would need if they had to run for it plus the one 'sentimental value' item that she was sure he would outgrow in a year or two. But as he grew older, she got him a second backpack, putting more and more of his things into it until he was carrying all his own clothes, and in the 'grab it' bag, a little more money, and - still - the dog.

***

Blair followed Naomi's teaching without questioning it until he was nearly ten. When she moved on, he left the people he had come to know, not necessarily without any regrets, but without hesitation. But some five weeks before his tenth birthday, she moved in with a widower who had a son close to Blair's age, and the two boys quickly became friends.

Uncle Bob and Kevin gave Blair a game of chutes and ladders for his birthday, and Blair and Kevin played on it most evenings for the next few weeks. On his own, Kevin gave Blair a birthday card. It was the first birthday card Blair had ever received, and he carefully put it into his 'grab' bag.

But Naomi was beginning to get restless again; Blair could recognize the signs. He told Kevin one evening that he thought she would want to leave soon, and that - much though he appreciated the present - he didn't think it would be possible to take it with him, so he would leave it with Kevin. "But I've got the card you gave me," he added, "and I mean to keep it. I've loved being here and I won't ever forget you."

He could see that Kevin wasn't convinced that Naomi would leave, and didn't say anything more; but he was right. It was one of the few times she actually said 'Goodbye'; two days later, over breakfast, she told Uncle Bob that she still loved him and would miss him, but she had found that she couldn't settle anywhere, and that it was time for her to move on.

Uncle Bob pleaded with her to stay in touch, even visit them occasionally, but she shook her head. "Better to make a clean break," she said. "That makes it easier for you to get on with your life."

What Naomi never learned, then or later, was that Uncle Bob made the same request of Blair - "... if you can."

And Blair did manage to write occasionally - and treasured the replies he got, always sent to somewhere like the school he was currently attending.

***

Uncle Bob was only the first of several 'uncles' who wanted to stay in touch with Blair when Naomi moved on. The next was Uncle Toby, who showed Blair how to carve things using a chainsaw. Blair had successfully carved a dog - though Blair thought of it as a wolf - under Uncle Toby's watchful eye when he was twelve. Unfortunately, although it was small in relation to many of the animals Uncle Toby carved, it was still too big for Blair to take it with him when Naomi moved on; all he could take with him was a photo of it. But Uncle Toby promised to look after it for him, and send it to him when he eventually found a permanent home. Naomi had shaken her head at that, sure in her own mind that Blair would follow her lead and devote his life to traveling, never staying in one place for more than a few weeks. But Toby had seen in Blair a hunger to put down roots, and he was not surprised when, at sixteen, Blair went to Rainier to study anthropology.

It was easier for Blair to keep in touch with the 'uncles' he regretted leaving once he went to Rainier; for one thing he had a constant address, although he used Rainier as his address rather than the dormitory block he lived in for his first three years at university or the succession of temporary rooms he lived in for a while thereafter.

When he moved in with Jim, he seriously considered sending for his carved wolf - but he remembered his initial comment of 'just a week' and he felt that if he sent for the figure it would be also sending a message to Jim that he had no intention of moving out. Well, he didn't want to move out, really... but as long as he kept that little fact to himself, did nothing to let Jim realize it...

And then came the phone call. And of course it was Jim who was in the loft at the time, Jim who answered...

"Ellison."

"Hello, Detective. Is Blair there?"

"No, sorry - he had a meeting at Rainier, and I don't expect him home for at least an hour."

"Well, maybe you can help me." The man hesitated for a few seconds, then went on. "How much do you know about Blair - about how he grew up?"

"Not very much - I know he and his mother travelled around a lot, sometimes stopped for a few months before moving on... I know he still writes to two or three of the people he met then... but he doesn't really say much about himself."

"Yes. Well, when he was twelve, I met his mother and they moved in with me for a while. Blair and I... we got pretty close. He called me 'Uncle Toby'."

Jim nodded to himself. "He's said a few times, 'It's a letter from Uncle Toby' and disappeared into his room with it, then came back out grinning fit to burst. He's always been happy to hear from you."

"I made a living out of carving things, mostly animals, often on commission but I made some to sell at craft fairs as well. Blair... I showed him what to do and we persuaded Naomi to let him try to carve one. He made a really good job of it, too. But then she got restless, decided to move on... They travelled light, often hitch-hiking; there was no way they could take the dog Blair had carved. I told him I'd keep it for him, and when he had a settled home, I'd send it to him."

"That was nice of you."

"Detective, I loved the boy as if he really were my nephew. It was easy to do. But of course he went to Rainier, lived in dormitory accommodation, then in a series of temporary places. Finally he rented a room from you, and he's been there for... what, three years now?"

"Yes, and he'll be here until he leaves Cascade - if he ever does. Though once he gets his PhD he might have to because there mightn't be a permanent place for him at Rainier." Jim wasn't quite sure what he would do if that happened.

"Detective, would you be willing to take the carving, have it in your house? The thing is, I've had to retire; I'm selling off everything and moving into a care home; because I'm going blind. The optometrist gives me less than a year before... well. Where I'm moving to, there won't be anywhere I can put Blair's dog, and... He's been happy to let me look after it all these years, but now I can't. Would you let me send it to him?"

"Where are you?"

"North Dakota."

"Okay... Blair has next week off, and I certainly have time due that my Captain has been pushing me to take. I have a pickup. How would you like it if I brought Blair to see you, and we bring the carving back with us?"

"God, I'd love to see Blair again - but if you're driving... It's over a thousand miles, so you're talking at least two days to get here, maybe three... "

"I know, but it's worth it," Jim said. “You'd like to see Blair, and I'm sure he'd like to see you. And if you want - I'll tell him about your eyes - you were going to tell him today, weren't you?"

"To explain why I can't keep the carving more than another few weeks. Yes. But if you could tell him... "

"It would make things easier for you," Jim said sympathetically.

"I know I should... but have you any idea how difficult it would be for me to tell him?"

"I can guess," Jim replied.

"Now, accommodation when you get here; I'm still in the house Blair knew, though it's on the market. There are several spare rooms, and the two of you will stay with me. No nonsense about looking for a hotel."

Jim took a deep breath. "What can I say but thank you? It'll give you that much more time with Blair."

"Yes," Toby murmured.

"I'll let you know when to expect us - probably the day before we get there," Jim promised. "I'd hope to cover the distance in two days, but you know how the roads are - anything could cause a fairly lengthy delay. But I can print off a map, and that will show me any detours, if something causes a holdup."

They spoke for another minute or two, then hung up.

Jim glanced around the loft, wondering where best to put the carving. Finally he decided that just outside Blair's room might be the best place, though Blair himself might have thoughts on the matter. Then he picked up the phone again, and dialled Simon.

Luckily there was nothing major in his schedule; and Simon was, as he had told Toby, glad to see him take some of the vacation time he was due.

***

Jim quickly packed up everything they would need for a week and prepared sandwiches that could be eaten as they drove - by making a start that evening, the trip wouldn't take into a third day, and it would give Blair and Toby more time together. Granted, eating as he drove wasn't something he would normally choose to do, but this once wouldn't really hurt.

Blair arrived a little earlier than Jim had expected - he knew that often these Rainier meetings lasted longer than scheduled, and he said so.

Blair grinned. "We were lucky today - someone made a mistake in times, and Dr. Dorward had another meeting scheduled to start at the same time ours finished, so he wrapped ours up a few minutes early."

"Good. Want a quick shower? We're both off for a week, and I have a road trip planned - I've packed for us both, and there are sandwiches ready for dinner somewhere on the road."

"Give me twenty minutes!"

It actually took him a little less than twenty minutes, by which time Jim had everything loaded into Sweetheart. He hurried Blair down the stairs and they set off.

"Anywhere special planned, or is this a 'go where your nose leads you' trip?"

"I'd make it a total surprise for you, but I promised I'd tell you. Your Uncle Toby phoned."

"Uncle Toby? Any special reason?"

"He wanted to let you know... he's retiring, selling up and moving into a care home."

"A care home...?"

"He wanted to let you know - and I promised I'd tell you - he's going blind. He... well, indicated that he'd like to see you again while he could still see. And while flying there would be faster, driving there means that we can bring back your carved dog."

"He told you about that?"

"Yes - and Chief, if you'd told me about it, you could have had it months ago."

"You don't mind?"

"There's space for it. And something you carved when you were twelve? Toby said people coming to buy a carving often asked about it, wanting to buy it. I'm looking forward to seeing it."

"It was the only one I ever did. Naomi left not long after I'd finished it - I think she wasn't too happy about me using a chainsaw for anything. I didn't know enough to try doing anything else without guidance... Uncle Toby promised to keep it for me until I was living somewhere I could have it, though I don't think he realized just how long that would be. He... I've stayed in contact with two or three of Mom's boyfriends, but he was the only one I ever phoned or gave a phone number to."

"That says a lot about him," Jim said quietly.

***

They camped that night and the following night, and reached their destination mid-evening on the following day; just over two days travelling. Blair had phoned Toby when they were about an hour away to let him know where they were.

As Jim stopped outside the big building Blair indicated as Toby's home ("Oh, I still remember this so well!") the door opened and a middle-aged man left the building. Blair jumped out and ran to him. "Uncle Toby!" and the two hugged affectionately.

Jim took his time joining them. They separated with obvious reluctance, Toby saying, "God, it's good to see you, Blair!"

"Good to see you, too - and this is Jim. I've told you about him and I know you spoke to him three days ago. He's a great friend - I couldn't ask for better."

Toby nodded. "It takes a very good friend to drive you this far to see someone and pick up something that is precious to both of us."

***

Jim learned quite a lot about Blair that evening - or it might be more accurate to say that a lot of what he thought he knew about Blair was confirmed. He had been aware that Blair had only kept in touch with a handful of his 'almost fathers' and it was very obvious that Blair's affection for Toby was fully returned. Toby seemed more... annoyed, Jim thought, that Naomi had taken Blair away than that she had left. Oh, he still expressed a fondness for her, but Jim had a suspicion that that was for Blair's benefit, rather than a genuine caring for her.

They stayed for two days, giving themselves three to return to Cascade. Toby started by showing Jim Blair's dog - at which point Blair admitted that he had always thought of it as a wolf, and Jim could see why; and then he took Jim round the carved animals he still had - he had stopped making new ones when his sight began to fail, and was simply selling off the ones he had in stock.

Jim moved around the carvings, genuinely admiring them - and then he stopped, staring in awe at one that was carved from a dark-colored wood. A big cat - a panther! - dark enough in color for him to call it an image of his spirit animal. "How much?" he asked.

Toby looked at him. "If you want it, it's yours - no charge. Just bringing Blair to see me pays for it."

"I appreciate the gesture - but please, sir, let me pay for it," Jim said. "Blair's told me quite a lot about his time here - I know how happy he was while he was here. I owe you for giving him one of the good memories he has of his childhood. Oh, I don't doubt that Naomi loved him and wanted what she felt was best for him - but she never gave him the one thing he really wanted; a settled home. And from the little he's said, quite a few of the men she thought she loved only tolerated him. But from what he's also said, you loved him. You were interested enough in him to show him how to carve his d- his wolf, and let him do it; someone who cared less might have carved a dog for him, but wouldn't have shown him what to do, supervising as he did it himself.

"I know money is an easy payment for what you gave him, but you're going to need as much money as you can get over the next months to support yourself for the rest of your life. You know that, don't you?"

"I've got a fair amount saved - " Toby protested.

"I'm sure you do," Jim said, "but a care home isn't cheap, and once you sell everything, you won't be earning anything more. Although... " He looked thoughtful. "We can pay you for looking after Blair's wolf for fourteen years."

"No!" Toby exclaimed. "When Naomi left, I couldn't keep Blair, but having the carving he did... meant a lot to me."

"Uncle Toby," Blair said. "Let Jim pay you for the panther - and not at a cut rate. The full going price. We can hold on a - you could say retaining fee for looking after the wolf, but promise me that if you start to run into financial problems you'll let us know and we'll pay that retaining fee then. It would give me more peace of mind regarding your situation."

Toby looked from one to the other. "All right," he said. "The panther is $1250... and I'll promise to let you know if I have any financial problems. But I really don't think I'll have any."

"You're sure that's an economic price," Jim said quietly.

"Yes. Prices go partly by the size, partly by what kind of wood is used. Those - " he indicated half a dozen fairly small owls - "are only about $50. Local wood and not very big. But the panther is carved in ebony; imported wood, and ebony is quite expensive. If it was a local wood it would cost about $750. Quite a few people have expressed an interest in it, but found it too expensive - and I think they're hoping that I'll reduce the prices of what's left quite drastically when I actually sell up, but I won't; any that are left will go a local craft shop that'll pay me 75% of what they sell for, and I'll be giving Ray Massey a price for them."

***

Even Jim thoroughly enjoyed the two days they were with Toby; it was easy to see what had drawn Blair to the older man.

Blair wanted to show Jim around the area, including the local town, and the three went there that afternoon. There was a branch of Jim's bank there, and he seized the chance while Blair distracted Toby, going in and withdrawing the money for the panther, knowing that if he paid Toby by credit card Toby wouldn't get the full amount because of the charge the credit card company made on transactions, then gave him the money in the evening.

The following day the three drove around the immediate countryside, giving Toby what he reckoned would probably be his last look at the countryside he loved.

Next morning, Jim and Blair, having loaded Sweetheart and covered everything with a tarpaulin, delayed leaving, enjoying a final few hours with Toby, and finally drove away mid-afternoon.

As they had done on their way to North Dakota, they camped each night, arriving back in Cascade late afternoon on the third day.

Once inside the loft Jim said, "I thought maybe beside your door for the wolf, but that was before I got the panther. They need to be together, and there isn't really room for them both beside your door."

"How about where the stairs begin going up?" Blair asked. "Or against the wall behind the television set?"

"Yes - we'd see them if they were sitting there, wouldn't we - and because they're images of our spirit animals, we really do want to see them."

So they placed the two carvings against the wall behind the television, but not quite behind the set so that they could both see the animals; then they unpacked the rest of their things.

"Chinese?" Jim asked as they met again after putting everything away. Blair nodded, and Jim dialled their favorite Chinese restaurant.

While he was ordering, Blair phoned Toby. "Hi, Uncle Toby. Just to let you know we're safely home, the animals have claimed their spot in the living room and look very happy to be there. It... it was good seeing you again."

"You look after yourself, Blair - and look after your sentinel too."

"Uncle? How... "

"I remember how fascinated you were when you found that book," Toby said, "and the way you looked when you read it. You looked at Jim the same way. Don't worry - I understand the need for secrecy. But I'm glad you have the two things you wanted; a sentinel, and your wolf."

"And I have you as well, Uncle Toby. I just wish we lived a little closer."

"Tell him we'll visit again," Jim said.

Blair nodded, and did. And as he hung up, he knew that Uncle Toby was smiling.

 




 


End file.
